Method of flow forming

ABSTRACT

A metal preform is flow formed into a desired structure utilizing segmented dyes. The metal preform is positioned in a chamber comprised of shaping members which define a surface substantially complementary to the desired structure. At least two of the shaping members are spaced from one another and define a groove therebetween. The preform is heated to a temperature suitable for superplastic forming and then compressed such that the preform deforms against the shaping members and into the groove. The at least two spaced shaping members are forced to move into contiguous relationship thereby reducing the size of the groove while forcing further deformation of the preform into the groove.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a process for flow forming. Existing manufacturing techniques for forming a desired structure from a preform often require substantial machining of the shape or joining together of a number of parts to form the desired structure. This normally results in wastage of material of the preform, extra processing steps, and a possibly weakened structure at the joint of a plurality of preforms. This results in undesirable increased costs and time consumption in processing the preform.

The present invention relates to a process where parts are formed to substantially net shape to thereby reduce conventional machining and obivate the need where possible for a plurality of parts which must be joined to form the final structure. Flow forming is a process where a part is formed by the use of heat and compressive pressure. It is to be distinguished from superplastic forming where parts are drawn under tensile stress. The part to be formed is placed within tooling and heated to the temperature at which the part material becomes plastic. Pressure is then applied to the tooling to flow the part material into the shape dictated by the tooling.

A method seeking to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,519,503 to Moore, et al. In this method high strength alloys are heated to a temperature placing them in a condition of low strength and high ductility and forged in hot dyes to a desired shape. However, structures requiring large deformation are either not possible or excess time consumption is required for flow of the preform to the desired shape. Additionally, problems result in removing the formed part from the structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to successfully deform a metal preform to substantially net shape where substantial deformation of the prefrom is required.

It is another object of the present invention to reduce the forming time in flow forming.

It is yet another object of the present invention to flow form in a substantially contamination free environment.

It is still another object of the present invention to alleviate the problem of removal of the formed structure from the tooling.

Briefly, in accordance with the invention, there is provided an improved method of flow forming a metallic structure from a preform. A pluraltiy of shaping members are positioned to define a chamber surrounding the preform. The chamber defines a surface substantially complementary to the desired final shape of the preform. At least two of the shaping members which define a portion of the surface are spaced from one another and also define a groove therebetween. The preform is heated to a temperature suitable for flow-forming and compressed by application of pressure to deform against the shaping members and into the groove. The at least two shaping members are forced to move into contiguous relationship to reduce the size of the groove to the desired dimensions and thereby force the preform to further deform into the groove.

In a particular embodiment of the invention the preform is of a wrought material and a substantially contamination free environment is provided within the chamber. Optimally, the preform is compressed by application of isostatic pressure through the shaping members.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional elevational view of the basic flow forming apparatus employed in the present invention showing the preform before forming;

FIG. 2 is a diagramatic illustration of the preform and shaping members in an intermediate stage of the forming process at A and the final position of the part as formed at B;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the preform at A and the fully formed structure at B.

While the invention will be described in connection with the preferred embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to those embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an example of a forming apparatus generally indicated at 10 for carrying out the present invention. A retort 12 is preferably provided as a housing for the forming apparatus 10. Within the retort is optimally provided a base plate 14 and vertically extending support frames 16 and 17 positioned on opposite sides of base plate 14. Support frames 16 and 17 are spaced from base plate 14 as shown at 13 and 15. Additional support frames (not shown) could be provided as where there would be four separate support frames, each being positioned on the respective sides of base plate 14.

Frame members 16 and 17 along with base plate 14 and the lid 18 of retort 12 define a cavity 20 in which tooling members 22, 24, 26, and 28, along with preform 30, punch 32 and side blocks 34 are positioned. Tooling members 22, 24, 26, and 28, along with punch member 32 (also a tooling or shaping member), are designed and arranged to form a chamber 36 such that the surface of chamber 36 is substantially complementary to the desired final shape of preform 30. Punch 32 and tooling members 22, 24, 26, and 28 act as shaping members for preform 30. While not shown, any of the aforementioned shaping members can have protuberances on its surface contacting preform 30 which in the forming of preform 30 would act as a male dye member. Blocks 34 act as a positioning guide for punch 32 and also as a stop mechanism for tooling frames 16 and 17 (base plate 14 also acts as such a stop mechanism).

A primary consideration in selection of a suitable shaping member alloy is reactivity with the metal to be formed at forming temperature. When the metal to be formed is titanium or an alloy thereon, iron base alloys with low nickel content and modest carbon content (as 0.2 - 0.5% carbon) have been successful. Additionally, creep strength and mechanical properties can also be considered.

Preform 30 can be in a variety of forms such as billet, bar stock, sheet stock, plate stock, rod, pellets, or combinations of these forms. In FIGS. 1 and 3A there is shown a plate stock preform 30 which normally would have a fairly substantial thickness such that superplastic forming utilizing a differential gas pressure would not be practical due to the large forming time required or where the desired final shape would be particularly difficult for such a process. Any metal capable of sufficient plastic deformation under compressive pressure at obtainable economical temperatures, but preferably one that exhibits suitable superplastic properties can be used for preform 30, but the present invention is particularly concerned with such metals that are subject to the contamination at forming temperatures, such as titanium or an alloy thereof such as Ti-6A1-4V. The advantage of a superplastic material is that the flow stresses are lower at lower strain rates which can thereby often permit reduced pressures to cause flow forming (albeit at lower strain rates). Preform 30 is optimally a wrought material as the flow forming process would normally not effect a working of the preform, i.e., no mechanical property improvement results. The extent to which any material selected will exhibit superplastic properties is predictable in general terms from a determination of its strength and strain rate sensitivity and a design determination of the permissible variation in wall thickness. Strain rate sensitivity can be defined as m where m = (d 1n δ/d 1n ε) and δ in stress in pounds per square inch and ε is strain rate in reciprocal minutes. Strain rate sensitivity may be determined by a simple and now well recognized torsion test described in the article: "Determination of Strain -- Hardening Characteristics by Torsion Testing," by D. S. Fields, Jr., and W. A. Backofen, published in the proceedings of the ASTM, 1957, Vol. 57, pages 1259-1279. A strain rate sensitivity of about 0.5 or greater can be expected to produce satisfactory results, with the larger the value (to a maximum of 1) the greater the superplastic properties.

The initial thickness of preform 30 is determined by the dimensions of the part to be formed. Certain variables have been found to affect strain rate sensitivity of the flow stress and therefore should be considered in selecting a suitable metal material. Decreasing grain size results in correspondingly higher value for strain rate sensitivity and lower available flow stress. Additionally, strain rate and material texture affect the strain rate sensitivity.

Once the forming apparatus has been properly arranged relative to preform 30 within retort 12 and the lid 18 of retort 12 welded shut, forming apparatus 10 is placed in a press between press platens 40 and 42. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, platen 40 acts as support for the forming apparatus and prevents movement of the forming apparatus while pressure is applied by platen 42 to compress preform 30. Suitable retaining members (not shown) are provided along the lateral sides of the retort 12 to prevent movement of the forming apparatus in any of those directions.

Shaping members 22, 24, 26, and 28 are segmented and spaced from one another as shown at 50, 52, and 54 thereby increasing the size of grooves 56, 58, and 60 respectively. The total width of spacings 50, 52, and 54 optimally is substantially the same as the total width of spacings 13 and 15 such that closing of spaced 13 and 15 by inward movement of tooling frames 16 and 17 also close spaces 50, 52, and 54. Shaping members 22 and 24 define groove 56, shaping members 24 and 26 define groove 58, and shaping members 26 and 28 define groove 60. Segmenting and spacing dye members 22, 24, 26 and 28 in this fashion allows for greater deformation of preform 30 into grooves 56, 58 and 60, shorter forming time, and ease in removal of the finally formed structure as more fully described hereinafter.

Maximum strain rate sensitivity in metals is seen to occur, if at all, as metals are deformed near the phase transformation temperature, which varies with parameters such as grain structure and composition of the preform. Accordingly, the temperature immediately below the phase transformation temperature can be expected to produce the greatest strain rate sensitivity. For titanium and its alloys, the temperature range which optimal flow forming characteristics can be observed is about 1450° F to about 1850° F, depending upon the specific alloy used. For Ti-6AL-4V, a temperature of about 1700° F is normally used.

Various heating methods can be used for heating the preform 30 to the desired forming temperature (where the metal would be in a plastic state capable of flow forming). One particularly advantageous arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 1. There platens 40 and 42 are preferably made of ceramic material and provided with resistance heated wires 70. Heat from the resistance wires 70 is transmitted through the retort 12, base plate 14, tooling members 22, 24, 26, 28 and 32, and side blocks 34 to the preform 30. As to tooling members 22, 24, 26, 28, and 32 and side blocks 34 are also by this method heated to the forming temperature, the areas of the preform 30 contacted by these members during forming do not have their temperature substantially affected.

Where the preform 30 is made up of a metal or alloy which at temperatures required for flow forming would be subject to contamination, an environmental control system can be provided. Such a system would expose the preform 30 only to inert gas such as argon or a vacuum while heating and forming. The metal preform 30 will not react with the inert gas due to the nature of the inert gas, even at elevating forming temperatures. In a high vacuum, there are substantially no elements for the preform 30 to react with. Thus, in either environment, contamination of the metal preform 30 will be prevented.

To accomplish environmental control, a line 72 is connected through retort 12 to an aligned lateral conduit 74 in tooling frame member 16. A lateral conduit 76 extending through tooling member 28 connects with conduit 74. Lateral conduits 78 and 80, which are provided in members 26 and 24 respectively, are aligned with each other and conduit 76, but are spaced from one another and conduit 76 due to spaces 52 and 54. Longitudinal conduit 82 connects with conduit 76 and leads to chamber 36. Conduit 84, which is provided in tooling member 22, has a port 86 in alignment with conduit 80, though positioned in spaced relationship due to space 50 and a longitudinal portion 88 which leads to chamber 36.

Line 72 can be connected to a source (not shown) of vacuum and/or inert gas such that during heating and forming, air could be withdrawn from chamber 36, grooves 56, 58, and 60, and spaces 50, 52, and 54 to provide a substantially contamination free vacuum environment around preform 30. Additionally, if desired, after such withdrawal of air, inert gas could be provided to the aforementioned conduits to flow to said chamber, spaces, and grooves so that there would be an inert gas environment around preform 30 during heating and forming.

When such a contamination prevention or controlled environment system is utilized, it is desirable to seal the forming apparatus to prevent entrance into chamber 36, grooves 56, 58, and 60, and spaces 50, 52, and 54 of any contaminating air. This is accomplished in a preferred manner illustrated in FIG. 1, by the use of retort 12, which is a completely sealed enclosure around the forming apparatus 10. Thus, after forming apparatus 10 is placed within retort 12, the lid 18 of retort 12 is suitably joined, as by welding, to the body of retort 12 to effect a seal.

OPERATION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the forming apparatus 10 is assembled in the desired manner such as illustrated in FIG. 1. Shaping members 22, 24, 26, and 28 rest on base plate 14. Frame members 16 and 17 are placed on opposite lateral sides of base plate member 14, preferably contacting outer tooling members 22 and 28 while spaced from the lateral sides of base plate member 14 as shown at 13 and 15. A suitably designed preform 30 is positioned over tooling members 22, 24, 26, and 28 such that flow of preform 30 at the forming temperature will be into grooves 56, 58, and 60 at the desired locations on preform 30. Punch 32 is positioned over preform 30. Side blocks 34 rest on tooling members 22 and 28 respectively and are positioned adjacent to punch 32. With the completion of the above described layup, the lid 18 of retort 12 is welded on and the forming apparatus 10 thereby effectively sealed. The retort 12 and the enclosed forming apparatus 10 are placed in a press between platens 40 and 42.

When the preform is of a metal or alloy where contamination prevention is necessary, the air within chamber 36, grooves 56, 58, and 60 and spaces 50, 52, and 54, which is the area around preform 30, is substantially removed by application of vacuum through line 72 and interconnected conduits 74, 76, 82, 78, 80, and 84. Preferably, inert gas is then flowed through line 72 and the aligned conduits into the area around preform 30 such that subsequent heating and forming of preform 30 can be done in an inert gas atmosphere.

After the temperature of preform 30, tooling members 22, 24, 26, 28, and 32, and side blocks 34 is raised by heating apparatus 70 in platens 40 and 42 to a suitable forming temperature, pressure is applied to preform 30 by the action of the press (not shown) through platens 40 and 42. Platen 40, which acts on the bottom of retort 12, and other suitable pressure applying mechanisms (not shown), which act on the lateral sides of retort 12, apply sufficient pressure to prevent movement of tooling members 22, 24, 26, and 28 while platen 42 acts on the lid of retort 12 forcing punch 32 downward against preform 30, which is in a plastic state due to the heating. Such pressure acts to deform retort 12, and so care should be taken to make sure that the seal is not lost due to such deformation.

As shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the effective pressure applied to preform 30 is in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof (indicated by arrow 102 in FIG. 2). This pressure can vary and depends upon many parameters such as the particular metal or alloy used for preform 30 and how superplastic it is at the forming temperature, thickness of the preform 30, amount of deformation required for the preform 30, and desired time of the processing, etc. Care must be taken to avoid too great a pressure where the preform is in a desired superplastic state such that the preform would not lose its superplastic properties. Applicants have found that for titanium and its alloys, and particularly the Ti-6A1-4V alloy, the range of pressure that can be used in 1500 - 3500 p.s.i., with the perferred range being 2000 - 3000 p.s.i., with the lower end of the range producing better results. Depending upon the configuration, this pressure is normally applied for four to 5 hours, but could be as low as two hours when simple shapes are to be formed.

Due to the spacing of tooling members 22, 24, 26, and 28, grooves 56, 58 and 60 are enlarged thereby allowing pressure 102 to cause more material flow of preform 30 into said grooves and at a faster rate. Once the deformation of preform 30 into grooves 56, 58, and 60 due to the effective compressive pressure 102 in the direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the preform has stabilized, as illustrated in FIG. 2A by the intermediate position of the forming operation, the side pressure, indicated diagramatically by arrows 100, shown to be in the axial direction of preform 30, is gradually increased while the pressure on the other sides of retort 12 and the pressure 102 from platens 40 and 42 are maintained. Similarly to pressure 102, side pressure 100 can vary and depends on many parameters such as previously mentioned. The range of pressure that is used is normally the same as for pressure 102. The pressure on the other sides of retort 12 maintains the positioning of the tooling members while the pressure indicated by arrow 102 prevents reverse deformation against punch 32. The side pressure indicated by arrows 100 deforms the retort 12, and forces inwardly support frames 16, 17, which bear against outer shaping members 22 and 28 forcing them inwardly. This inward movement first closes spaces 50 and 54 which further compresses the protruding portion 104 and 106 (FIG. 2A) which have flowed into the grooves 56 and 50 and thereby causes further flow in the path of least resistance, namely downward further into grooves 56 and 60. Once tooling members 22 and 28 by virtue of the side pressure 100 contact tooling members 24 and 26 respectively, tooling members 24 and 26 are also forced to move inwardly toward each other to close space 52 and similarly force additional deformation of the protruding portion 108 into groove 58.

Side pressure 100 is applied continually until spaces 50, 52, and 54 are closed such that the tooling members 22, 24, 26, and 28 are in contiguous relationship. This is indicated when the tooling members 16 and 17 contact base plate 14 and side blocks 34. Any undesired longitudinal protruding of preform 30 is obviated by longitudinal compression of preform 30 by members 22 and 28 as a result of their inward movement decreasing the size of chamber 36.

Inert gas in the area around preform 30 is vented through conduits 76, 78, 80, 82, and 84 to line 72 by deformation of preform 30 and compression or retort 12 (thereby closing the spacing within the retort). The final position of the forming apparatus and the fully formed structure designated 110 shown in FIG. 2B.

Once the forming is completed, the temperature from heating platens 40 and 42 is reduced, and the structure 110 and forming aparatus 10 cooled. The press is raised, the retort 12 opened, forming apparatus 10 removed and disassembled. Disassembly is aided by the segmenting of the tooling, i.e., with the structure 110 having projections 104, 108, and 106 in essence being force fit into grooves 56, 58, and 60, removal normally would be a significant problem with unitary tooling, Here, tooling members 22 and 28 can be easily removed. This leaves easy access to tooling members 24 and 26 to be pulled from the grooves 112 and 114 defined by projections 104 and 108, and 108 and 106, respectively.

The finally formed structure 110 is illustrated in FIG. 3B. Such a structure need only be trimmed to design size as opposed to requiring substantial machining, where such a structure was heretofore possible to make at all.

Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided in accordance with the invention, a method for flow forming of metals that fully satisfies the objectives, aims, and advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for making a metallic structure comprising:providing a metal preform; providing a plurality of shaping members; positioning the shaping members to define a chamber surrounding the preform, the chamber defining a surface substantially complementary to the desired final shape of the preform, a portion of the surface being defined by at least two of the shaping members, the at least two shaping members being spaced from one another, the at least two shaping members defining a groove therebetween; heating the preform to a temperature suitable for flow-forming; compressing the preform by application of pressure through at least one of the other shaping members whereby the preform deforms against the at least two shaping members and into the groove; and forcing the at least two shaping members to move in contiguous relationship, thereby reducing the size of the groove while forcing the preform to further deform into the groove.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the preform is of a wrought material.
 3. The method as defined in claim 2 also including the step of providing a substantially contamination free environment within the chamber.
 4. The method as defined in claim 3 also including sealing the chamber to prevent influx of air thereto.
 5. The method of claim 3 wherein at least one of the shaping members defines a portion of the surface which protrudes into the chamber.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said compressing the preform is by application of isostatic pressure through the shaping members, the pressure in the directions substantially perendicular to the longitudinal axis of the preform being greater than the pressure in the other directions, and wherein said forcing the at least two shaping members to move into contiguous relationship is by increasing the compressive pressure on the at least two shaping members in the direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of said groove.
 7. The method of claim 3 wherein said compressing the preform is by application is isostatic pressure through the shaping members, the pressure in the directions substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the preform being greater than the pressure in the other directions, and wherein said forcing the at least two shaping members to move into contiguous relationship is by increasing the compressive pressure on the at least two shaping members in the direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of said groove. 